On March 10, 1996, he sat down in the middle of the anthem. After the game, he told reporters that he considered the flag “a symbol of oppression, of tyranny” and that he would continue to refuse to stand for the anthem.

“I’m a Muslim first and a Muslim last,” Abdul-Rauf (right) said. “My duty is to my creator, not to nationalistic ideology.”

The NBA is in effect subsidized by ESPN, whose parent company is, of course, Disney/ABC. The NBA recently signed a massive nine year/$24 billion deal to broadcast the game—at the same time that ESPN is seeing a substantial drop in the number of subscribers it has (meaning: a massive drop in revenue to the tune of losing 12-13 percent of its subscriber base in five years). [ESPN continues to lose subscribers at an alarming rate, by Cork Gaines, Business Insider, May 31, 2016]

Enter the black NFL national anthem protests and the threat of black players in the NBA doing something to further alienate white fans who want to tune in to just watch basketball and not be browbeaten by an infomercial for Black Lives Matter.

Anthony is on the cover of ESPN The Magazine wearing what appears to be a Black Lives Matter-inspired militant garb. The opening question offers us a glimpse into a world where blacks are forever free of the consequences of their actions because White Racism can always be blamed:

HOWARD BRYANT: It sounds like there’s a sort of tipping point that’s happening around the country. When I talk to younger people, they have this attitude like, “We’re supposed to be past this. This is why I’m upset.” And then I talk to my uncles and they’re like, “See, this is how it is. This is nothing new.”

CARMELO ANTHONY: This is the new ’60s right here. Everybody I talk to, my mom and uncles and friends, they say the same thing. They’re like, “What you’re seeing right now, we’d seen it already. It’s new to you, but it’s not new to us.” I think it’s bigger and much deeper than just actually seeing what’s happening out there. Not just police brutality but so many other issues out there that are being swept under the rug. Our educational system is messed up. Schools are closing left and right.

Let’s put this in perspective. There is now no question but that, as I predicted, ratings for the National Football League have plunged because black players decided to take a knee during the national anthem. [National NFL TV ratings continue decline, Sports Illustrated, October 25, 2016]

An average decline of more than 20 percent for the games broadcast on Monday, Thursday and Sunday is a definite cause for concern for a league dependent on the “sports socialism” television contract model behind the massive valuation of each franchise. [NFL revenue-sharing model good for business, By Howard Bloom, SportsBizNews, September 5, 2014]

It’s obvious the ESPN and the NBA is posed to go all-in on Black Lives Matter-inspired rhetoric/actions this season.

Based on the decline in ratings for the NBA and loss of subscribers for ESPN, as well as what has happened to the NFL since it has seen Black Lives Matter inspired protests flourish, it’s also obvious white fans will simply continue to tune out.